Work has already started, and providers aim to permanently switch off the old network by 2025. This change will affect everyone who uses a landline telephone and our customers who have a community alarm or telecare. This is because many of our community alarms currently connect to a monitoring service via a phone line.
Reasons for the switch to digital
The change from analogue to digital aims to benefit everyone and supports the government's ambition for everyone in the UK to have access to full fibre or gigabit-capable broadband by 2025.
Existing analogue landline telephones rely on copper wire and this is slow and costly. The internet places an additional strain on the system as people need data to be transferred faster.
We're also using landline telephones less and mobile phones more.
How the new system will work
The new digital system uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. This allows us to make telephone calls via the internet, in the same way as Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom. This is much cheaper, and the connections are faster because there is no reliance on physical wires.
What this means for you
From 2025 landline telephones will not plug into a socket on the wall, they will plug into your wi-fi or broadband router instead and work via an internet connection.
The switch over to digital won't happen all at once. Your telecom and internet provider will contact you when the switchover is due to take place in your area. They'll supply you with a home hub or router and an analogue telephone adapter (ATA) if you do not have a digital alarm yet. This will allow you to plug your community alarm into the hub, the ATA will convert analogue signals to digital. This means you can use your equipment in the same way as before. But you'll no longer hear a loud dialling tone when you press your pendant because the call will be placed digitally.
It's important to note that calls will go through the home hub which uses mains power. This means the home hub and your community alarm will not function in a power cut. Some telecom and internet providers have assured they'll provide all vulnerable customers with a battery back-up.
The council plans to replace all of its analogue community alarms with digital units before the end of 2025.
What you need to do
To find out more about when the digital switchover will take place in your local area, please contact your telecom provider.
If you've already been contacted by your telecom or internet provider regarding an impending switchover to digital, it is really important that you:
- tell your telecom provider you're a vulnerable client with a community alarm or telecare equipment in your property
- ask to register with the Priority Service Register (PSR). This is a free and voluntary system that your telecom provider may use to ensure the correct support is given to vulnerable customers. This may provide you with advanced notice of planned power cuts. You may be eligible to register if:
- you're of pensionable age
- you have a disability or are chronically sick
- you have a long-term medical condition
- you have additional communication needs, typically due to a hearing or visual impairment
- you're in a vulnerable situation
- ask for a battery back-up in case of power cuts
- ask for an analogue telephone adapter (ATA) if you have an analogue alarm
Ofcom are working with telephone providers to make sure they offer back-up measures if you don't have access to a mobile phone, live in areas with unreliable mobile signal, and are more reliant on your landline for reasons such as disability or ill health. These back-up measures may include battery-powered back-up phone lines with around 24 hours of standby power and around 1 hour of talk time. This would ensure you can still use your home telephone to call for help in an emergency. When mains power is restored, the back-up battery would recharge automatically.
What to do when you are switched over to digital
Before the engineer leaves your property, please make 2 or 3 test calls on your community alarm to make sure it's still working. If there's a problem making the call, the engineer should move you back to your analogue line.
If you have any problems after the switch, for example, your alarm won't connect to the monitoring centre, please call your alarm provider as soon as possible.
If you have any additional questions about the digital switch, contact your phone provider for more information.
If you have any queries about your community alarm or telecare please email asch.telecare.enquiries@derbyshire.gov.uk